Sunday, October 08, 2006

Quick update

This has been a trying week for sure! I appreciate the comments and emails, I can't tell you all how much you mean to me. Thank you!

I am in a much better state of mind than I was earlier this week, that is for sure.

I have talked to Mom a few times since then and this is what is going on:

She went to her Oncologist on Wednesday (a day sooner than planned) and had Granny & Great Aunt K. with her. The Oncologist talked to them for a long time. He is optimistic and said that he thinks it is treat-able. Not curable, but hopefully it can be slowed and put into remission.

She has numerous cancerous spots on her chest, 4 cancerous areas on the lymph nodes under her right collar bone and "cluster areas" (as she calls them) on the bony formation of her ?thoracic? spine in 2 different spots. She wasn't sure how to describe where they are on her spine, just said that it is about mid back, which would be the lower thoracic or possibly uppermost lumbar. I am thinking thoracic.

Anyway, she got another PICC line inserted in her arm on Thursday and had her first combination Chemo treatment that same day. She thinks that she will have to do 12 weeks of Chemo and they will reevaluate. Here is how they will work out the schedule, she only has to go one time per week:
Week 1: Breast Cancer Chemo
Week 2: Breast Cancer Chemo
Week 3: Breast Cancer Chemo followed by the Bone Cancer Chemo once the Breast Cancer one is run through.
Week 4: Off. No treatment on 4th week, but starts again with week 1 the following week.

Once she is done with the Chemo, her doctor wants her on a weekly blood draw routine to check for increasing cancer indicators. He basically said that this will have to be treated as a chronic illness, just like Diabetes or MS. He doesn't know why she keeps getting it, and why it is spreading, but he is going to treat the new areas as they appear.

She is incredibly optimistic and truly believes that we are all here for a purpose and that everything happens for a reason. She is willing to try experimental treatments if it comes to that. She said, "If I do an experimental treatment now and down the road it proves to work, then maybe it will save your life someday." But for now, it seems that they will do a standard treatment on her.

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I have been reading on other blogs about the "50 Project Challenge" and I think that I am going to jump in!!! I might not have 50 things to list just yet, but according to my notes here, I have at least 24 and I know that I am forgetting some finishing. I will be setting up a seperate blog for that. Plus, I need to go find the link for the originator and look at her rules so I can figure out my own.

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We are losing our borrowed laptop tomorrow morning until possibly Thursday. I wish that the freaking motherboard that DH ordered would arrive soon, but you know what they say about wishing. So, I will be offline again for a few days.

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Today is the 11th day of this Monsoon Trough that is over us. It has been overcast and raining off and on since Sept. 27. I am starting to feel waterlogged. You know it is bad when your wooden furniture starts to mold. GROSS! Good thing I have a giant bottle of vinegar ready to go!

Stay happy & healthy, everyone! I will be back soon!

Peace.

3 comments:

Jenn said...

Missy, I'll leave this here since youa re looking your computer. You can check out my 50 project webpage. The link is on my last post. And in my original post is the link to the site of the girl who started all of this along with the rules. I've also posted the rules on my blog.

Glad your joining us in the challenge. Let me know if you can't find the link.

I'm glad to hear about your mom. {{{Hugs}}}

Anne S said...

So sorry to hear of your Mum's cancer again ... fingers crossed all goes well for her {{hugs}}.

Wendy said...

Sending good thoughts to your Mom for great success with her next round of cancer treatment.

Take care of yourself and your little Tree Hugger!